Discipline for a Two Year Old

one of the things that worked for me is something i picked up from dr. phil. you have to find what "currency" your kids find value in. For us it was getting to play with certain toys. So, as part of the natural consquence of my son's behavior he would be restricted from using certain toys when he was not obeying us. I think you have to find out what they value the most then make that more of a priviledge than an everyday thing. :) Good luck!

Time out didn't really work at that age for my kid, but I did find that strapping him into his table booster chair and making him listen to me, and if he was throwing a fit, I would just walk away until he stopped. He didn't like that and not getting the attention he wanted. At this age (I belive) it is all about attention good or bad. So find a while to contain him (pack-n-play)or stapped into a stoller or booster chair until he settles down. Now, mine had temper issues and this is when I would work on our breathing. It sounds a bit yoga'ish but I would sit in front of him and take deep breaths and blow them in his face, he would start to immitate me and that worked on getting him to settle down and listen. Good luck wow it's a hard stage.

My second daughter doesn't care if she is spanked (she has a high pain tolerance anyway and I believe in just a swat if at all), and she also played and didn't mind time out. So I took advice from a book call Love and Logic and started making her work. She was about the same age. I would take a spray bottle and spray water on our tile floor. I started with a small area of the floor. Then I gave her a paper towel or two and she could be done when all the water was wiped up. It has expanded and I expect more now that she is older. If you will not let him get away with doing a poor job then eventually all you will have to do when he is misbehaving is ask, "Would you like to clean a floor?" This is wonderful when he is in public and you don't want to have to make a scene. Good luck. I like this method better than time out because I looked forward to it instead of being so angry so I didn't say mean things out of anger plus you can praise him for a job well done and he will be proud of his efforts. And you will have a somewhat cleaner floor at the end of the whole thing. It was harder for me at first because she would say she was done and she had not even wiped the floor once. But, after she realized I wouldn't let her be done until it was really done then she did it the first time.

Hi J.,
There are 2 kinds of kids--compliant and strong willed. Sounds like yours is the latter! Time out actually will work for him--the key is to be consistent and to administer it without showing your frustration and anger. Completely ignore him while you physically, but gently put him back into the "Safe Zone" over and over again. If he laughs, cries, throws a tantrum, runs to somewhere else--so what--that's his job, don't take it away from him. Be mentally prepared to continue returning him (or ignoring his tantrum/crying) until he calms down or is ready to listen (it could take 50 times or more if he's really strong willed!). And crying/tantrum behavior, by the way, is HEALTHY for a 2 year old. You're not damaging his emotions in ANY way by letting him get it out. Also, don't look at his antics as an interruption to your day--it's a main activity. You're teaching. Eventually, he'll see he can't play the "drive Mommy crazy" game, and he will be ready to leave time out to get some attention. Don't give up, you can do it. The pay-off is when you have raised a well adjusted individual with respect and character.
Angie P